Brewers reliever Josh Hader talks about his arbitration hearing and what he can do to improve.

Milwaukee Brewers reliever Josh Hader talks about his arbitration hearing and what he can do to improve.

Second in an 11-part Brewers position-by-position series. Today: relief pitching.

PHOENIX – In so many ways, Josh Hader is one of a kind.

There is no other reliever in the major leagues utilized in so many ways as the Milwaukee Brewers’ lanky lefty, who has been a strikeout machine during his first 2½ seasons of competition, all in the cauldron of playoff-race baseball.

Manager Craig Counsell often summons Hader to record more than three outs, eschewing the standard role of a ninth-inning closer. On 14 occasions last season, Hader was used to cover two innings, with Counsell knowing there would have to be at least two days of rest afterward. The Brewers went 13-1 in those games, so it’s difficult to argue that tactic.

Simply put, Counsell calls upon Hader when he thinks the game will be won or lost, be it the eighth inning or ninth. When you strike out hitters at the rate Hader has achieved with the Brewers – 15.3 per nine innings over 151 appearances – you’re going to be summoned in the most-dire situations.

Ask the 25-year-old Hader about the unique role he has played in the bullpen for the Brewers and he merely shrugs and smiles.

“Honestly, I like pitching,” said Hader, one of four prospects acquired from Houston in July 2015 for Carlos Gomez and Mike Fiers, who would make his lasting mark in an unexpected way. “Anytime I get an opportunity to be on the mound and just have fun, I think that’s what my goal is.

“Just being able to really adapt to any situation that I get put in, at the end of the day, I’ve got to be on the mound, I’ve got to throw strikes and get outs. That’s really what I’ve been trying to be able to do.”

But what about the physical toll of recording more than three outs so often (23 times out of 61 appearances last season)? For Hader, a starting pitcher in the minors, it has been a matter of learning as you go.

“I’d say you have to learn to adapt to make sure you can bounce back,” said Hader, named the NL reliever of the year in each of the past two seasons. “The recovery aspect is a lot different. That’s one of the things I’ve been learning these past two years, how can I make myself ready and available any day.

“Obviously, realistically, you’re not going to be ready every day, but just the mentality to put yourself in that position.”

Only Hader knows if he was running on fumes a bit at the end of last season but his final two outings certainly did not go as planned, with heartbreaking results. First came a blown save in Colorado on the penultimate day of the season in Colorado, when a victory would have drawn the Brewers even with St. Louis atop the NL Central with one game to play. Hader was one out away from securing a 2-1 victory when he allowed his 15th home run of the season, a game-tying, opposite-field shot by Sam Hilliard.

Hader’s final outing was even more devastating for the Brewers. Handed a 3-1 lead in the eighth inning of the wild-card game in Washington, Hader surrendered three runs as the Nationals rallied for a 4-3 victory en route to an improbable run to the World Series crown.

Hader’s command was off that night, but he had more than his share of bad luck during that fateful eighth. With one down, an inside pitch to Michael A. Taylor appeared to graze the knob of his bat before clipping his hand, but even with replay, it was ruled a hit-by-pitch.

After Hader struck out the dangerous Trea Turner for the second out, he jammed Ryan Zimmerman with an inside fastball and exploded his bat, only to have a blooper fall into shallow center for a hit. After Anthony Rendon walked to load the bases, Juan Soto stroked a misplaced fastball to right for a two-run single, with the decisive run scoring when the ball skipped past rookie Trent Grisham for an error.

It’s difficult to say Hader ran out of gas down the stretch, however, he converted 12 consecutive save opportunities entering that game in Colorado, getting scored on just once along the way. In 13 outings in September, during which he went two innings just once, he recorded 27 strikeouts in 14⅓ innings.

“It was definitely tough to lose, whether they won the World Series or not,” Hader said of the wild-card loss to the Nationals. “They had a good team. You saw what they had. They had a mojo that was pretty unstoppable.”

There is reason to be concerned about Hader’s workload over the past two seasons, in terms of innings pitched, no matter the rest given between outings. Over 116 outings, he pitched 157 innings, second only in the National League to Craig Stammen, who covered 161 innings for San Diego.

At 6-foot-3, 185 pounds, Hader throws mostly fastballs (82% over his career) with considerable force, using a whip-like delivery while uncoiling his entire frame forcefully toward the plate. As for any cumulative effect his usage will have going forward, only time will tell.

Asked how he makes himself available to pitch as often as possible, Hader said, “Honestly, just hopping on the recovery aspect right after we’re done and really just preparing. Hot tub, cold tub, all that good stuff. Just working out as well, keeping your body in shape in the offseason. That’s why this offseason is so big. You work your body to get stronger and being able to adapt for the 162 games.”

Hader is about to get paid for being one of the best relievers in the game. He qualified for salary arbitration a year ahead of time as a “Super 2” player, falling right on the cutoff mark of 2 years, 115 days of major-league service. After making $687,600 last season, Hader filed for $6.4 million this season, with the club offering $4.1 million, with an arbitration panel soon to choose the figure.

“It’s definitely a learning process,” Hader said of arbitration. “It’s the business side of baseball. We’ll see what happens.”

There was a time when Hader wasn’t sure he’d make it to spring training with the Brewers. His name surfaced prominently on the trade rumor mill over the offseason, with the New York Yankees purportedly showing considerable interest, but no deal was made.

Now, the Brewers must decide which arms to line up in front of Hader when the season begins. Corey Knebel, on the comeback trail from Tommy John surgery, isn’t expected back until about two months into the season, but lefty specialist Alex Claudio is back and swingman Brent Suter, another southpaw, is expected to pitch out of the bullpen at the outset.

Veteran David Phelps will be counted on for high-leverage work but the other right-handers will come from a large group that includes hard-throwing Ray Black, out of minor-league options; Bobby Wahl, who missed the 2019 season with a torn ACL; Devin Williams, fresh off his big-league debut; and a pair of newcomers, side-armer Eric Yardley and Wisconsin native J.P. Feyereisen.

It also remains to be seen where two young right-handers, Freddy Peralta and Corbin Burnes, land at the end of camp, be it in the rotation, the bullpen or the minors. They have done all of the above the past two seasons but have the kind of arms that can make an impact when on top of their game.

The one certainty is that Hader will have the ball in his left hand at the end, when games are on the line, leaving opposing hitters to battle to avoid becoming his next strikeout victim.

“His strikeout numbers are insane,” Suter said. “They are absolutely insane. They’re historic, for sure. You watch him out there and you think he can strike out every guy. The fans probably expect it.

“He’s such a humble guy, down to earth, so chill. To see how he handles everything is awesome.”

By The Numbers

37: Saves for Josh Hader in 2019, most by a left-hander in franchise history.

670⅔: Innings pitched last season by the Brewers’ bullpen, most in the NL.

50: Saves posted by Milwaukee’s relief corps in ’19, second in the league.

204: Relief appearances in the major leagues by David Phelps.

138: Strikeouts for Hader, most among MLB relievers, in 75⅔ innings last season.